South Korean court upholds Yoon's election law conviction

A Seoul appeals court upheld former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s election law conviction on November 4, keeping his 18-month prison sentence suspended for three years.

The court found that Yoon made false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign, including about his links to a shaman and whether he introduced a lawyer to a former tax official.

Yoon’s lawyers said they will appeal to the Supreme Court.

If the conviction is confirmed, Yoon’s 2022 election victory will be nullified and the People Power Party must return 39.7 billion won, about US$30 million, in reimbursed campaign costs.

South Korean law reimburses parties whose candidates win at least 15 percent of the vote, but requires repayment if a candidate receives a final prison sentence or a fine above one million won for election law violations.

The case is part of a wider set of criminal proceedings after Yoon’s failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024; he has also been sentenced to life in prison for insurrection, and that case is under appeal.

A final ruling in the election case is expected around February, according to one South Korean news outlet.